Doing Justice and Loving Kindness

January 30, 2015

Doing Justice and Loving Kindness

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

Philippians 2:5

When you are able to make peace with your own paradoxical nature, you can hear the words of a spiritual director, “Give up trying to look like a saint. It’ll be a lot better for everybody.” When we are at peace with God, who is at peace with us, we can lay aside our obsession with projecting the perfect Christian image and get on with living our life in Christ, which is simply a matter of practicing WWJD. (What Would Jesus Do?)

When we lose our preoccupation with ourselves, we are amazed to see that the life in Christ is not rocket science. Whenever Jesus was moved with emotion for the condition of people, he took action. Jesus illustrated how this can work out in our lives in his parable of the Good Samaritan. The priest and the Levite, the ones who knew the most about God, failed to act. The Samaritan, who supposedly knew the least about God, was commended by Jesus because he acted with compassion. “Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same” (Luke 10:37). The Apostle John summarized Jesus’ commendation of the Samaritan when he wrote, “Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions” (1 John 3:18). When we obey Jesus’ imperative, when we say “yes and amen” to John’s teaching, we will grasp the simplicity of Micah’s teaching on doing justice and loving kindness.

This is the life in Christ in a nutshell. Take a leap of faith, and embrace your right standing with God, and then go and do what the Holy Spirit shows you Jesus would do if he were standing in your shoes. (Which of course he is, since your leap of faith embraces the truth, “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27b NRSV).)

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms is available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ  is available as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.

The Paradox of Grace

January 29, 2015

The Paradox of Grace

And for their sakes I sanctify myself,

so that they also may be sanctified in truth.

John 17:19 (NRSV)

A paradox is a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition. Jesus’ statement in his prayer (John 17) certainly seems to qualify as a paradox. The idea that we are somehow sanctified by the truth of who Jesus is, and what Jesus has done for humankind, is incomprehensible. Yet clearly, Jesus desperately wants us to grasp this truth and to learn to rest in our blessed identity as the children of God. Thomas Merton was very helpful in leading us to this place of rest when he noted, “A saint is not someone who is good but who experiences the goodness of God.”

I think Merton’s observation helps us put into a living context the Prophet Micah’s instructions to the saints of God. We are “to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with (our) God” (Micah 6:8b NRSV). We can think together another day of what Micah means by doing justice and loving kindness. Today, let’s focus on walking humbly with God. We often look and act in unsaintly ways, even so our Abba keeps reminding us we have been sanctified in the blood of Jesus.

Here is a simple three point exercise for training to walk humbly. First, make a list of your personal paradoxes. Think of your own contradictions. For instance, I know I believe the Gospels, but I also have doubts. I hope in Christ, yet I get discouraged. I love God’s Kingdom, but sometimes I hate. Sometimes I feel guilty for believing I am so blessed. Sometimes I feel badly for not feeling bad enough about the suffering and oppression of others. I can be trusting, but I am also suspicious and cynical. I know the Gospel of grace, but I still get caught up in performance-based-acceptance issues. The next step is to take time and ponder your very own paradoxical nature.

Now, imagine Jesus putting one arm around the paradoxical you, and another arm around the sanctified you as he smiles and says, “I love you.” If you respond by singing Amazing Grace as you walk along with Jesus, you are walking humbly with God. I know it’s hard to sing while laughing and crying at the same time, but give it a try. ;-)

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms is available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ  is available as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.

Shaking Off The Stunning Befuddlement

January 28, 2015

Shaking Off The Stunning Befuddlement

Let all the people of Jerusalem shout his praise with joy!

    For great is the Holy One of Israel who lives among you.”

Isaiah 12:6

The debate has raged for over two thousand years: who gets saved? The responses are extreme. Some say everybody is already saved; some say everybody who simply repeats the right words; and still others say only the few who conform to certain doctrinal beliefs. The longer I live, the more I come down on the side of the few, but not with those who are aligned with what they deem as the correct doctrinal beliefs. Rather, I am with the few who “When (they) discovered a pearl of great value, (they) sold everything (they) owned and bought it!” (Matthew 13:46).

I believe when Jesus gave that parable, the merchant represented two different identities. The first was a representation of God, who gave everything, even His only begotten son, for the redemption of human kind. Secondly, the merchant represents those who, after shaking off the stunning befuddlement of sheer grace, sell off all that they are and all that they have for the Kingdom of God.

Clearly, I do not mean this in a literal way. While some saints may in fact have literally disposed of all their material possessions, those saints we know the best, the ones who wrote the New Testament, did not. However, they most assuredly surrendered their rights to their own life to the sovereignty of Jesus Christ. These few are the ones who responded to Jesus’ proclamation, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give (you) a rich and satisfying life,” with the confidence to risk everything on this Gospel of Grace. (John 10:10)

It is my heart’s desire to be counted among their number.

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms is available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ  is available as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.

A Mighty Fortress is Our God

January 27, 2015

A Mighty Fortress is Our God

“Be still, and know that I am God!

Psalm 46:10a

“A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;

Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:”

Martin Luther was inspired by Psalm 46 to write “A Mighty Fortress is Our God”, which has become one of the great hymns of the church. Drawing from the images of turmoil and conflict in Psalm 46, Luther affirmed with the psalmist, that “The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress” (v. 7 & 11).

I believe the writer of Psalm 46 was inspired by the account of a vast army from Edom marching against King Jehoshaphat, as recorded in Second Chronicles 20. Several passages in that account could well have inspired the psalmist, such as verse 17, “This battle is not for you to fight; take your position, stand still, and see the victory of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow, go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.”

In that one passage alone is sufficient inspiration for the psalmist to write,

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble,”

“‘Be still, and know that I am God!” and

“The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;

the God of Israel is our fortress.”

Psalm 46: 1, 10a, 11

No matter what personal crisis you may be facing; what national or international event is causing you anxiety, I believe those three verses are sufficient to get you singing,

“A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;

Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:”

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms is available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ  is available as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.